


Pride and Petticoats

by live_with_love



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-10
Updated: 2012-08-10
Packaged: 2017-11-11 19:40:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/482176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/live_with_love/pseuds/live_with_love
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even as a child, Byakuya hates parties that she feels too old for. Especially when she is forced to wear such ridiculous dresses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pride and Petticoats

**Author's Note:**

> This is pointless fluff involving a young (always a girl) Byakuya and (always a girl) Soujun wherein Byakuya is sulky and Soujun attempts to be the voice of reason. I haven't a clue where this came from; blue_eyesgirl_fic mentioned young Byakuya in a dress and... this happened. Random mini!Byakuya angst happens in places as Soujun tries to get her ready for a birthday party.
> 
> I hope they're both still IC. I did try to write them that way. I hope you enjoy.

Byakuya regards herself with distaste in the full length mirror, eyeing her outfit unhappily as her mouth twists and eyebrows draw down together. Soujun watches and waits, knowing exactly what is coming once the inspection is finished.

"Mama, when do I get to wear uniform, like you?" Byakuya asks, mouth set firmly in its tiny pout as she tugs at the - utterly ridiculous and most inconvenient - dress she has been given to wear today; it is certainly not on her by her own choice!

Soujun lets out a soft chuckle despite her best efforts to keep her face stoic, knowing from past experience that such expressions of amusement are not at all appreciated or encouraged. Her thoughts are immediately rewarded when Byakuya’s frown becomes more pronounced and small, rounded arms are folded firmly across gathered silk neatly cinched below a ribbon that is a slightly darker pink than the rest of the dress. She gently pats her child on the head, smoothing down wild strands attempting to escape from the hastily donned ponytail - Byakuya's latest attempt at appearing 'grown up' - and answers in a low, soothing voice; “I am afraid not until you join the academy, dearest." 

Byakuya is neither convinced nor pleased by such a statement, cheeks puffing out slightly and face reddening as she begins letting her anger slip into her outer facade.

"Then why can't I wear kimono?!" she demands, voice squeaking out of the carefully controlled registers she usually keeps it in and suddenly jumping back up to that of a normal pre-teen. Soujun guiltily finds these moments incredibly endearing, treasuring the rare times when her daughter allows herself to simply be the child she truly is. The final declaration - "These are silly!" - delivered in a firm but shrill tone certainly does not help her valiant efforts to keep a straight face.

Soujun watches Byakuya with a fond smile as the young girl flounces; she has to wonder if Byakuya is aware that the sulky movements only make the lace petticoat swirl under the silken layers, the dress poofing out to an adorable round bell and tangling the child‘s legs. It is so very difficult not to smile when Byakuya stumbles and then glares at the fabric as if it is the root of all her problems before roughly tugging it back in place. Her unruly curls fly as she tosses her head, threatening escape from the confines of an appropriately pink hair tie, while anger flashes in large, beautifully expressive eyes. 

"Yoruichi bought this for you, dear. It would be rude to refuse," Soujun murmurs calmly, carefully avoiding any mention of the dreaded C-word as she reminds Byakuya of the social rules they must all conform to. It helps that this is one rule Soujun is indeed very happy to have to follow, when it puts Byakuya into situations wherein she is forced to reveal her true nature.

Byakuya's pout instantly becomes more pronounced, bottom lip quivering threateningly and angry tears flying to her eyes. She flops down with a huff in a poof of lace and silk, kicking with feet clad in tiny, shining slippers at fabric that becomes caught underneath her. "That's si- That‘s ridiculous, Mama!" she whines, catching herself on the childish word this time but much too far gone in her tantrum to pull herself out of the sulk. She stares at the ground and once more crosses arms draped in glittering, embroidered silk - the sleeves are huge and impractical and float around her when she moves! - as she decides to stay there. She certainly is not leaving the room dressed like this. No matter what Soujun says. Byakuya is very determined. She has been put into this pink monstrosity with an itchy petticoat, that keeps tripping her up, and trailing sleeves that are, somehow, more annoying than her formal kimono ones! At least her kimono do not have shining beads and golden embroidery everywhere. This… garment offends her with its impracticality and superfluous nature.

"Now, now, Byaku-chan," Soujun soothes in her most appealing tone, crouching down beside Byakuya and smoothing out a few of the creases in the skirt; a Kuchiki must not go about with creased clothing and, besides that, the creases hide the tiny, barely noticeable at the best of times, rabbits embroidered here and there with glittering, silver thread. 

"If you pout, you shan't get my present." Reaching into the hidden pocket in her sleeve, Soujun draws out a brightly wrapped box and dangles it teasingly in front of the child.

Byakuya glances up at the box swaying before her eyes, biting her lip as she tries to ignore the temptation. It’s beautifully, perfectly wrapped - her mother applies the same tender care to everything she does - in a uniformly dark blue paper with an accompanying black ribbon. Byakuya has to smile, just a little, at the obvious catering to her tastes here; no shine, no glitter, only simple beauty. Soujun’s presents are always well chosen and the desire to open this box very quickly overwhelms the desire to continue sulking.

"I'm sorry, Mama," she concedes after a mere few moments, letting out a happy yip when Soujun drops the box into her hands. She even ignores the fond chuckle that the sound brings from Soujun, much more interested in the hidden treat. Byakuya tears into it with none of the calculated movements she uses in public and the paper, though beautifully suited to her, is simply ripped away. It shows how eager she is to get at a gift from her mother that she doesn‘t bother to unfold and demurely lay aside the wrapping.

Byakuya stops once she has taken the lid off the box, staring with wide eyes at the contents. "Oh- Oh Mama!" she whispers happily, leaping up to throw her arms around Soujun’s waist and hug her tightly, curls, lace and glitter forgotten. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome, darling," Soujun murmurs happily, kissing her cheek and enjoying the hug for the brief moments that it lasts, knowing Byakuya is very eager to take out the gift. 

Quickly stepping back, Byakuya reverently lifts the necklace out of the box, but simply stares at what is underneath. She slowly reaches out to touch the comb, sliding her fingers over the smooth, green jade inlaid with entwined lines of pearl and opal, edged in silver, before looking up at Soujun with a very startled gaze.

The question is implicitly clear and Soujun kneels down to take her comb from trembling fingers. Smiling gently, she gathers up a lock of hair that has escaped in the latest fit of flouncing and pins it back up beside the others as she murmurs; “Yes, my dear. I believe it is time for you to wear this.”

“Thank you, mama,” Byakuya whispers, a little overwhelmed, as she reaches up to touch her mother’s comb. It is not as high an honour as the kenseikan, which she will not be entrusted with for many years yet, but it is high enough. Soujun had explained to her the last time she wore this comb that it had been a present from Ginrei, handed down from mother to daughter once daughter had been deemed mature enough to care for such an ornate, delicate hairpiece. “I will treasure it.”

“I know you will take good care of it,” Soujun agrees softly, tidying the rest of Byakuya’s hair. Byakuya almost begins pouting again at not being allowed to make herself presentable before remembering the gift and hurriedly smoothing out her expression into something more ‘mature’. Knowing exactly what is running through her daughter’s mind, Soujun merely smiles and stands again. “And the necklace, ne~”

“Oh!” Byakuya exclaims, attention returning rapidly to the silver chain she still holds. “Of course, mama, I didn’t mean to-” She breaks off suddenly as she actually looks at the necklace, staring for the second time in as many minutes. Byakuya recognises the shape and turns the pendant over, a smile slowly spreading across her face as the details only confirm it. 

Soujun’s lips twitch into a matching grin when Byakuya giggles, knowing her child has immediately grasped the meaning behind this gift, too. It is nice to see the answering mirth erase the all too serious expression the comb had unfortunately produced. There was a time and place for both parts of Byakuya’s personality and right now, today of all days, it should be the happier part that comes to the surface.

"Now come on downstairs to your party. We need to cut the cake, ne~" Soujun prompts softly, her coaxing rewarded with a bright grin from Byakuya as the child jumps to her feet, dress and frills forgotten.

“Yes, mama,” she murmurs dutifully, the smile staying put this time. She quickly undoes the necklace and slips the ends around her neck, turning to allow Soujun to do them up for her. Soujun happily complies, settling the wakame taishii shaped pendant - it has been hand carved into the same jade as the comb, details picked out in glinting beads - onto Byakuya's chest as the child continues thoughtfully; “I suppose I can tolerate Yoruichi’s teasing, at least for a little while.”

"That's my good girl," Soujun chuckles, taking the small hand offered up into hers and holding tightly while she leads her rather contrary child back down to the others who are waiting for her. It is gratifying to know that Byakuya is not growing up too fast and that she still needs her mother’s gentle touch to make the day a success, something Soujun is always happy to provide. 

She does, however, hope that Yoruichi can refrain from calling Byakuya 'Princess'. Just for a little while, to allow her stubborn little beauty to enjoy her own birthday party.


End file.
